O.C. surfers play waiting game in Hawaii

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Several Orange County surfers are enjoying warm waves and weather while waiting for conditions to allow the Volcom Pipe Pro in Hawaii to kick off.

The fourth annual Volcom Pipe Pro, an Association of Surfing Professionals 5-Star World Qualifying Series event, draws more than 100 top surfers from around the world to compete at the world-famous Pipeline on the North Shore. There is only one other major ASP contest held at this barreling surf spot — the Billabong Pipe Masters, an event in December that allows only the top 34 surfers in the world to compete.

Newport Beach's Chase Wilson will be the first Orange County surfer to go up in the round of 96, followed by San Clemente's Dane Gudauskas. World Tour surfer Kolohe Andino of San Clemente will compete when the round of 64 gets under way, and he'll have a tough heat with last year's runner-up and Hawaiian local Jaime O'Brien.

San Clemente's Tanner Gudauskas and Huntington Beach's Timmy Reyes will follow, and Heat 5 will be an interesting one as San Clemente's Nate Yeomans and Chris Ward go up against each other. Yeomans had a great showing last year, coming in fourth after being the only non-Hawaiian to make the finals.

The last Orange County surfer to take to the water will be Pat Gudauskas, who will be trying to earn points to get back on the World Tour after getting knocked off the bubble at the end of last year.

This first event of the year allows up-and-comers and local Hawaiians a chance to jump up in the pro rankings as well as earn some of the $130,000 purse.

“I've been excited to do this event for a few years, but injury has prevented me from it,” Pat Gudauskas said in an interview with the ASP.

Last year, young John John Florence claimed a last-second victory against former champ O'Brien. Florence had just 10 seconds left on the clock before nabbing a 9.93 barrel, which solidified his victory after he scored an earlier 10-point ride.

The waiting period for the Volcom Pipe Pro started Sunday and runs through Feb. 7, with the event running on the best four or five days. Watch it live at volcompipepro.com

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